Ironwood's Ultimatum
by NemesisVengence
Summary: A prediction I have for something that would happen in the not too distant future of RWBY. The premise would be that Ironwood, in his growing defensive paranoia, continues setting up the Kingdom of Atlas on a war footing, becoming more and more dictatorial in his desire to protect the kingdom, while unknowingly aiding Salem's aims.


Here it was. It was finally happening.

What Jacques had been afraid of since the fall of Beacon was going to come to pass, and he knew it was going to happen, as soon as the request for a meeting, more demand than request, had arrived for him from General Ironwood and the Council.

Now standing in the office of General Ironwood, in the center of the Atlas Academy, Jacques felt such a wave of revulsion at the faux grandeur of the general's office that he couldn't even contain the frustrated huff he'd been holding in since he arrived in the academy grounds.

"Please, sit, Jacques..." The general offered, gesturing to the chair immediately opposite his desk, attempting to sound more his old friend than aspiring tyrant that his recent actions had demonstrated.

"General..." Jacques then started, not addressing him in the same personal way he had done, even without the actual physical presence of the rest of the council. "...do not address me like I'm one of your students, in here for breaking your rules..." he stated, irritation seeping through his tone. "I shall remain standing as long as I wish..." It was a simple issue, petty by most peoples' standards, but he could not afford to yield an inch at the moment.

Taking in a deep breath, James gave a slight sigh before conceding "Very well, what I have to say can be attended to whether you are seated or standing..." the more informal tone fading from his voice as he stared, almost blankly, across at him. "You have heard of events in Mistral, perhaps? Of the attempted attack on Haven Academy?"

"You know I cannot gain intelligence outside of Atlas, General, ever since you closed the borders and the CCT network went down..." Jacques commented, shaking his head. "Why would you ask me this if you already know that?"

"Because, Jacques, it relates directly to the reason I've called you here..." James then responded. The dishevelled General's air of command seemed to contradict directly with the haphazard way he had been dressing as of late.

There was a pause here, as James seemed to be searching his mind for the right way to say what he had to say: the reason he had been called here, and the reason Ironwood's office was currently surrounding by combat drones. "Jacques... what I have to say is for the greater good of all..." taking a breath before starting into his more formal tone, seeming to harden himself for what he had to actually say "...on behalf of the Atlas Council and the people of the Kingdom of Atlas, in order to ensure the continuing security of Atlas' strategic resources, the Kingdom of Atlas is assuming direct control of the Schnee Dust Company..."

That was it.

Those words, the ones he had seen coming, but still dreaded all the same, were uttered right in front of him.

"You. Cannot. Be. Serious..." Jacques started right away "You cannot nationalize my company!" any sense of decorum gone from his tone as he rushed the General's desk, slamming his hands down on his side of the desk.

"Jacques, if you would just listen-", he attempted to respond.

"No! If you think you can use the current situation to steal my family's legacy, then you are clearly deluded!" Jacques continued to shout at this pompous warlord who dared attempt to outright steal what was his!

"Clearly you don't know, but Haven Academy was attacked, Beacon has been destroyed... the enemy is coming for all of the kingdoms, the huntsman academies in particular, and there is no possibility that Atlas itself is not in their sights... In case you have forgotten, the Academy is at the heart of the kingdom! I have already taken steps to tighten our borders and make it more difficult for our enemy to procure dust from exports, but the civilian structure cannot properly support an economy on a war footing, which we need in order to defeat our enemy..." Ironwood explained, not flinching in the slightest in response to Jacques, before resuming "This is a temporary measure only, the Kingdom will oversee all day-to-day operations of the Schnee Dust Company to properly integrate them with our security measures, but overall, ownership will still rest with you..."

In contrast with Ironwood's unmoving, cool speech, Jacques looked on the verge of a breakdown "Wha- you... Don't you DARE! Do not even TRY to paint your nationalizing my company in such a bland tone! This is not merely oversight, this is a hostile takeover!"

However, at this point, James now stood, stopping him "No, if you want to know what a hostile takeover looks like, perhaps you should have asked your daughter about the events at Beacon! This is a peaceful, temporary transfer of control in the name of security."

"There is no way the Council agreed to this insanity!" Jacques snapped at him, eyes widened as he exploded at the general.

"In fact, they did... earlier today... they understand the necessity of properly integrating such a vital resource into any proper protection of the Kingdom... that is why the summons sent to you came from the entirety of the council, not only myself..." James informed the raging Schnee.

"Just because your fear-mongering has the council eating out of your hand does NOT mean I am going to go along with you!" Jacques snapped at him.

Surveying him coldly, James responded simply "This is going to happen. I am not asking you, I am telling you what has been decided... The official announcement will be made tomorrow..."

"Now... there are two ways the transfer can go..." Ironwood started, before sitting back down, again getting his expression of calm as he clearly had his opponent right where he wanted him. "You can either accept the transfer, and remain official head of the Schnee Dust Company, and once the crisis is over, regain full control over operations. This option will also guarantee not just your position, but your estate, as well, as your personal assets will not be touched..." he proceeded to explain, before taking a deep breath.

Jacques was taken aback by this situation, even if he had seen it coming: he had never been in the situation of being on the lower side of the balance of power when it came to conversations. Because of this, he defaulted to his normal state: proud and stubborn.

"...and if I refuse?" Jacques asked bluntly when James stopped speaking a moment.

"Then you will be removed." Ironwood stated simply and directly, with all the emotion of someone discussing the weather. "...and placed under arrest for treason against the Kingdom of Atlas... your estate will be seized by the Kingdom and someone more reasonable will be installed to replace you..."

"You mean you?" Jacques suggested bitterly.

"No. I don't want to _own_ your company, Jacques... I merely need it to fall in line, for the good of the kingdom..." James finished, stone-faced. "You mistake my intentions... this is for the safety of the entirety of Atlas... of Remnant in fact..."

"You know, for someone taking such a direct, heavy hand in every operation of the kingdom, you certainly seem to have to repeat your 'for the good of the kingdom' line a great deal... as if you have to justify it to yourself!" Jacques snapped at him.

For the first time since their conversation started, Ironwood looked surprised, "How dare you!? Everything I have done is to protect Atlas!" now glaring at him, he pressed a single button, the door behind Jacques opened, several Knights entered the room behind him. "I will ask you directly... are you going to accept the transfer of control, or are you not?"

"This is no offer... this is an ultimatum..." taking a deep breath, he finally said what he had to "But as it is... there is only one answer..." not even saying the word, merely nodding slightly, "But... do you _seriously_ think the people of Atlas are going to just LET you become the tyrant you are setting yourself up to be, and, make no mistake, that is EXACTLY what you are doing at the moment... all in the name of safety? Allow me to make a prediction for you..." now stepping toward the window as the Knights closed in him, ready to protect Ironwood should he make a hostile move. "Your plan is going to come to failure, and it is not you, and not I, but the people of Atlas who will end up paying for it..."

James was taken aback by his abruptness, even as he seemed to accept the inevitability of the situation. "I can promise you that _isn't_ going to happen, but it's clear you would not believe me..." he responded, voice in part again his old friend. Though their ideals almost always clashed, the two men had always had a sort of respect for each other until recently.

"If that was all you wanted, I will have to go prepare for the official announcement tomorrow..." Jacques then told him, voice devoid of emotion at the moment, seeming to have transcended anger into something... else... at the moment. A curt nod from Ironwood was all he needed to see, leading him to turn on his heel and walk past the Knights, overcome almost to the point of collapse at the moment: after all, his company, the Schnee family legacy, was being ripped from them, from HIM, by a tin soldier playing tyrant with their kingdom!

However, he would not allow that man to see that he had won, so he continued to walk quietly, solemn and straight, until he made his way back to the manor grounds.

Not long after returning, he quickly made his way back to his office, stepping through and sitting down at his chair, a voice now speaking from a shadowy corner of the office while the Schnee poured himself a drink. "Rough day at the office?" the calm, male voice asked him, as Jacques looked on the verge of a breakdown.

However, again in the presence of someone he needed to speak seriously to, he steeled himself again "It happened... exactly as you said it would, Watts..." he then admitted to the man, who had been part of the reason he had seen line of events coming.

"Then I take it you are prepared to go through with the next step of our plan?" Watts then asked, stepping out to make himself visible in Jacques' office, face looking positively alight with curiosity.

Jacques' response, now looking straight at Watts, was simple, and yet telling...

"Yes, I am..."


End file.
